According to reports translated by Almanassa from the Daily Mail, Hani Dukelif, a 32-year-old Libyan asylum seeker residing in Minnesota, is currently facing a dire humanitarian and legal crisis. Dukelif was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the weekend, sparking intense concern among his family, medical professionals, and rare disease advocacy groups. There are severe warnings that his potential deportation to Libya would effectively constitute a “death sentence,” as the North African nation lacks the highly specialised medical infrastructure required to manage his rare and life-threatening condition.
Dukelif suffers from Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB), a rare genetic disorder that causes the skin and internal tissues to blister and tear at the slightest friction or touch. The condition makes even the act of swallowing painful and dangerous, necessitating constant expert medical supervision and a specific soft-food diet. His brother, Mohamed Dukelif, stated in media remarks that Hani’s situation is “immediately life-threatening,” emphasizing that detention centres and prisons are entirely unsuitable environments for a patient who requires meticulous daily bandage changes and a sterile environment to prevent lethal infections.
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Regarding his legal standing, immigration attorney David Wilson explained that Hani entered the United States in 2014 on a medical visitor visa and applied for asylum while his status was still valid. However, chronic administrative delays by government agencies in scheduling his interview meant his visa expired before a decision could be reached. Despite living legally in the U.S. for over a decade, maintaining work permits, and having no criminal record, he was suddenly targeted for detention. Wilson described the move as a troubling precedent in his 28-year career, noting that he had never seen a law-abiding asylum seeker detained solely due to administrative backlogs beyond their control.
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Details of the arrest reveal that ICE agents tracked Dukelif’s vehicle near the Wisconsin border before placing him in a federal detention facility. His family described the subsequent treatment as “inhumane,” noting that he was shackled by the feet despite the extreme risk of friction-induced injury to his skin. Medical photographs later showed visible ulcers and wounds caused by the restraints. Following a significant deterioration in his health, he was moved to a specialised hospital in Minnesota—one of the few regions equipped to treat RDEB. While ICE has yet to issue an official comment, Dukelif’s family and legal team are urgently seeking his release on bail, arguing that continued detention or deportation would lead to a catastrophic decline in his health and represent a fundamental violation of his right to life.
